Floating pump unit



Aug. l, 1933. J. c. FRANKE 1,920,371

, FLOATING PUMP UNIT Filed April 12. 1952 ,AMER ,f f

vPatented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 1,920,371 FLoA'rINa PUMP UNIT John Coard Franke, Berlin-Wilmersdorf,

` Germany Application April 12, 1932, serial No. 604,817, and

in Germany April. 18, 1931 4 claims. (C1. 10a-87) My invention relates to floating pump units, and more particularly to units which are portable and include a source of power, such as an electric motor or an internal-combustion engine, a pump operatively connected to the source of power, and a float or oats.

It is an object of my invetion to provide a unit of this type which possesses a high degree of stability, in which the motor or the like is easily accessible and in which leakageof the pumped liquid from the pump into the chamber of the source of power is prevented without providing a stuing box or other packing means at the point where the pump and the source of 'power are connected.

To this end, I so arrange ,the oat that the source of power is above, and the pumpis below, the level of the liquid the unit floats on.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a circular foundation plate on a pair of floats which may be of elliptical or any other section, and mount' an electric motor on the upper face of the foundation plate. Extending downwardly from the foundation plate, and upwardly from the casing of the pump, are hollow pipes which are detachably connected, surrounding the common shaft of the motor and the pump and permitting centering of the-pump and the ly, wln'ch are interconnected by screws 20. The

motor with respect to each other. The pipes may be of equal length, or one may be longer than the other. level of the liquid the unit floats on, has openings in such position that they are partly above and partly below the water level.

By these means a perfect pressure balance is obtained and the motor shaft extends freely from the motor to the pump, without any stung box or other packing means, and leakage of water or other liquid from the pump into the motor chamber is absolutely prevented.

In the accompanying drawing,- a unit having an electric motor and a centrifugal pump, with a pair of oats arranged as described, is -illustrated byway of example.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an axial section of the unit,

Fig. 2 is a. section on the line II-II in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail, drawn to a largervscale.

Referring now to the drawing, 1, 1 are a pair of floats, here shown with elliptical section (obviously 'they may have any other section, as found suitable), 2 is an electric motor, and 3 is the pump. By way of example, I have shown an electric motor and a centrifugal pump, but it is That pipel which extends through the 'understoodlthat I may provide any source of power, Vfor instance an internal-combustion engine, and any type of pump, for. instance a gear or reciprocating pump, instead of the mechanisms illustrated.

The oats are connected by stays 4 on their upper, and stays 5 on their lower faces, and the upper ystays 4 are equipped with handles 4a 'to facilitate the carrying of the unit.

Mounted on the oats, 1, v1 is a foundation 65 plate 7 for the motor-2 whose shaft 6 extends downwardly through a ball bearing 9 in the plate 7. 8 is a rim on the upper face of plate 7 vfor centering the motor 2. 10 is acover which is placed on the motor, 11l is a flange on the plate 70 'l to which the lower edge of the cover is secured by screws 12, Fig. 3, and 13 is a ring of rubber or the like which lcloses the joint. 14 is a cable for supplying current to the motor 2 which is taken through the flange 11 by a watertight 751 sleeve, and 15 is a plug contact at the outer end of the cable. The surface of cover 10 is so large that the heat of the motor is ele'ctively dispersed.

The motor shaft 6 extends through the extension members 7a and 3d which are integral, 80 respectively, with the plate 7 and the casing 3b l. of a centrifugal pump 3. The pipe members have inwardly projecting flanges 7b and 3e, respectivemember 7a has openings 21 therein.

The floats 1, 1 partly -project into the space between the plate '7 and the casing'Bb, with the plate bearing on the oats from above, and the casing engaging the floats from below. The pitch of the oats and the overall width of the unit are reduced by this arrangement.'

The pump is here shown as a centrifugal pump, with the impeller 3a on a spherical seat 16 at the 95 lower end of the motor shaft 6. The seat 16 permits the impeller to rock, so that theimpeller' adapts itself to'any irregularities of manufacture or assembling. '17 are pins operatively connecting the seat 16 and the impeller. 18 is a slotted shield or screen whichprotects the inlet y of the pump. 3c and 19, Fig. 2, is the delivery duct of the pump which is arranged between the floats 1, 1. I

There is an annular clearance between the anges 7b and 3e and the shaft 6 which permits free` flow in the members 7a and '3d. The

openings 21 are so positioned that they are partly above and partly below the liquid level when the unit floats. 'I'his prevents creeping up of the no liquid from the clearance between the impeller 3a and its casing 3b into ,the motor chamber. At the same time, the air in the'motor cover 10 which becomes heated and expands as the motor operates, is free to escape into the ambient air through bearing 9 and openings 21,- while, conversely, when the motor is not running the air in the cover cools down, and air enters through 21 and 9. y As mentioned, it is not necessary thatth members r(aand 3d should be of equal length, but one of them may be longer than Ithe other, and it makes no difference which is the longer. However, that member, which extends through the,liquid level, must have the openings 2l therein. 'i

It will appear that the motor shaft 6 extends freely through the members 7a and 3d, and stuifing bxes or other packing means are dispensed with and unnecessary.

I claim:

1. A oating pump unit comprising a source of power, a pump operatively connected to said source, a float connected to said unit and so arranged that said source is above, and said pump is below, the level of the liquid on which the unit rounding 4said shaft, extension members provided around the shaft and extending below the level of the liquid on lwhich said unit iioats and having holes therein extending partly above and partly below said level, means for detachably connecting said members, and a oat connected to said unit and so 'arranged that said source is` above, and said pump is below, the said liquid level. ,f

, 3.` A floating pump unit comprising a source of power a foundation plate on which said source is mounted, a pump, a shaft connecting said source to said pump, a cowl surrounding' said source of power, a bearing for said shaft which permits the flow of air therethrough, a pump casing, extension members connected to said plate and said casing and surrounding said shaft and said bearing, said members extending through the level of the liquid on which said unit oats and having holes therein extending partly above and partly below said level, means for detachably connecting said pipes, and a float connected to said unit vand so arranged that said source is above, and said pump is below, the said liquid level.

' 4. A. floating pump unit comprising a source of power, a cover surrounding said source, a pump operatively connected to said source, a iioat connected to said unit and so arranged that said source is above, and said pump is below,'the level of the liquid the unit' floats on, and means intermediate said source and said pump forkeeping liquid away from said cover while permitting the flow of ambient air to and from its interior.

JOHN COARD FRANKE. 

